harpburn
11 posts
Feb 11, 2013
2:03 PM
|
Hi, all!
I'm trying to get my hands on a shure 99a86 element (I know, aren't we all?) to replace the Japanese element in a Bluesblaster shell. My question is this: are there any other changes I need to make to the existing wiring, volume pot etc to accommodate the new element, or is it just a simple soldering job, then good to go?
|
HawkeyeKane
1469 posts
Feb 11, 2013
2:29 PM
|
Volume pot will either need to be removed and bypassed or replaced. The pot in Bluesblasters and JT30RH's are set up for mega-Z elements which CM's are not. I think the stock pots are either 1M ohms or 5M ohms for the crystals they come with. The CM would need something like a 100 or 200 K ohm pot I believe.
----------
Hawkeye Kane
|
Greg Heumann
1996 posts
Feb 11, 2013
4:57 PM
|
You WILL need a different gasket. You can get them from http://harpmicgaskets.com. And Hawkeye is right - the 5M pot will be mostly an on-off switch with the CM. 100K or 250K is the best.
----------
/Greg
|
harpburn
12 posts
Feb 12, 2013
6:42 AM
|
Yeah, thanks guys. I'll go for the gasket after I get the element. And, thanks for the offer of a 99a86, Bigtone. How much do you want for it?
|
Rick Davis
1297 posts
Feb 12, 2013
7:47 AM
|
Greg Heumann helped me assemble my go-to harp mic, the coolest sounding mic I've ever used. I had an old 99B86 CM element laying around; I don't remember where I got it. I knew it originally came out of a 1959 Shure 440SL Silver Bullet so I decided to restore it. I found an original shell on eBay, and with Greg's advice and parts (mic gasket, screw-on 5/8 Amphenol connector, and vintage inline volume control) I have a mic I am excited to play every time. Greg could have pushed me to buy one of his fine mics but he didn't. He knew what I had in mind and he helped me get there. That is integrity. Many thanks.
----------
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
Last Edited by Rick Davis on Feb 12, 2013 7:53 AM
|
harpburn
13 posts
Feb 12, 2013
9:31 AM
|
That sure looks good! How much did it all cost, altogether?
Last Edited by harpburn on Feb 12, 2013 9:32 AM
|
Rick Davis
1304 posts
Feb 12, 2013
3:53 PM
|
harpbum, sorry, I don't really know. I can't remember exactly where I got that element or how much I paid for it. (You know how you just acquire bits and stuff over time.) The shell was less than $100 on eBay and you can find the price of the other stuff on Greg's website. The total investment is probably somewhere around $250.
Well worth it, I think. The mic has a distinctive raspy edge and a wide tone.
The reason I chimed in is because I was considering doing exactly what you are thinking about, harpbum: putting the element in a Blues Blaster or Roadhouse shell. That would have been cool too, I think. But somebody here on this forum gave me a heads up about the Shure 440SL body on eBay so I jumped on that.
----------
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
|
harpburn
14 posts
Feb 13, 2013
11:07 AM
|
Well, here's an update to this topic: I've just bought an element similar to an mc-127 for a reasonable price. In know I said I was searching for the 99a86, but have "jumped on" this instead. Presumably I still need new volume pot, no?
Thanks for all advice, btw.
|
HawkeyeKane
1477 posts
Feb 13, 2013
11:43 AM
|
@harpburn
Actually, no. If it's similar to an MC-127, which is a crystal, then the existing volume pot will work fine.
----------
Hawkeye Kane
|
harpburn
15 posts
Feb 13, 2013
12:26 PM
|
@HawkeyeKane
Similar yes, but is actually a cm. Sorry if that seems a little confusing, I think when making the comparison the seller was refering to the quality of the sound. Thanks for help all the same.
Last Edited by harpburn on Feb 13, 2013 12:28 PM
|
HawkeyeKane
1478 posts
Feb 13, 2013
1:17 PM
|
I gotcha. If it's any kind of dynamic or CM/CR, then yes, you'll need a different pot.
----------
Hawkeye Kane
|
Bigtone
110 posts
Feb 15, 2013
4:50 PM
|
I'd sell it for $112 shipped. And the reason being that it is a very early CM. It came from a 440sl I think it is 1962. Sounds real real good. The early CMs are some of the best elements in my opinion. 99A86 it rates 1175 Ohms which is strong on my meter.
|
